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Supplement C: Preparedness and Response In Healthcare Facilities

Public Health Guidance for Community-Level Preparedness and Response to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) Version 2/3

A SARS outbreak may generate issues that exceed the scope of a particular healthcare facility and must be addressed at the community level, with representation from healthcare systems, public health, and industry. Some of these issues include:

Facilities

Designation of certain hospitals to be the primary providers of SARS patient care

Designation, development, and staffing of community SARS evaluation centers

Construction and certification of new AIIRs

Criteria/procedures for and impact of closure of facilities

Establishment of alternative "overflow" facilities

Personnel

Protection and training of first responders

Personnel surge capacity for heavily affected hospitals

Coordination of volunteer efforts

Assistance to healthcare workers in quarantine or on home/work restrictions

Communication with and coordination of contract staff and independent physician groups

Supplies

Implications (e.g., fit-testing) of an emergency change in respirator type during an outbreak

Adequacy of supplies of PPE and other equipment and materials

Coordination of donated items

Finance

Requisition and distribution of emergency funds to assist with construction and modifications of facilities to care for SARS patients, overtime payment for healthcare and other personnel, costs of healthcare worker furloughs, lost revenues, and other expenses

Legal/regulatory

Regulations to ensure that no facility can refuse to care for patients with SARS

Certification of new AIIRs

Liability issues related to healthcare workers in jobs for which they are not specifically trained